AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY FOR THE POYNER WATER SUPPLY CORPORATION WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT IN ANDERSON COUNTY, TEXAS BVRA Project 05-11 Principal Investigator William E. Moore, RPA Prepared for Poynor Water Supply Corporation Post Office Box 228 Poynor, Texas 75782 Prepared by Brazos Valley Research Associates 813 Beck Street Bryan,Texas77803
ABSTRACT An archaeological survey at several locations along an 8.8-mile (5.3 acres) proposed water line in Anderson County, Texas was performed in August of 2005 by Brazos Valley Research Associates (BVRA) for the Poynor Water Supply Corporation (WSC) under Antiquities Permit 3867. The project area was investigated by a field assessment, 100% Pedestrian Survey, and shovel testing and probing. Previously recorded site 41AN14 is depicted on the TARL maps as within the route of the water line. Archival research revealed this plotting is not correct, and this was confirmed by the field survey. No previously unrecorded archaeological sites were found as a result of this investigation. Two cemeteries (Foster and Pleasant Hill) are near the project area. The Foster Cemetery contains graves dating from the 1800s and early 1900s. A State of Texas marker depicts the site of the former grave of Cynthia Ann Parker within this cemetery. Ms. Parker is known for living in captivity with the Comanche Indians and being the mother of Comanche War Chief, Quanah Parker. The Pleasant Hill Cemetery is modern with the oldest grave dating to 1964. ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors are appreciative of the assistance provided by others during this project. Hollie H. Nowlin at J. F. Fontaine & Associates, Inc. was the Project Engineer. She accompanied the Principal Investigator on the field assessment and provided maps and logistical support. The Preisident of the Poynor WSC, William F. Walker, was also very helpful. The background check was conducted by Jean Hughes at TARL. The drafted figures were prepared by Lili Lyddon, and Jennifer McMillan provided technical editing. Nora Rogers proofread the report for errors and consistency. We are especially grateful to C. C. (Kip) Camp of the Anderson County Historical Commission for sharing his knowledge of the Foster Cemetery. iii
CONTENTS ABSTRACT...ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...iii INTRODUCTION... 1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING... 5 ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND... 6 METHODS... 7 AREAS SURVEYED... 8 RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS... 17 RECOMMENDATIONS... 19 REFERENCES CITED... 20 APPENDIX I: Shovel Test Log APPENDIX II: Location of Site 41AN14 FIGURES FIGURE 1. GENERAL LOCATION... 2 FIGURE 2. PROJECT AREA (EAST PORTION)... 3 FIGURE 3. PROJECT AREA (WEST PORTION)... 4 FIGURE 4. AREA 1... 8 FIGURE 5. AREA 2... 9 FIGURE 6. PROPOSED WATERLINE ROUTE (AREA 2)... 10 FIGURE 7. AREA 3... 11 FIGURE 8. BANK PROFILE (AREA 3)... 12 FIGURE 9. AREA 4... 13 FIGURE 10. FOSTER CEMETERY... 14 FIGURE 11. AREA 5... 15 FIGURE 12. PLEASANT HILL CEMETERY... 16 iv
INTRODUCTION The Poynor WSC plans to install new water line within the rights-of-way of county roads along an 8.8 mile segment of rural Anderson County (Figure 1). Also, a water plant will be constructed on a 100 x 100 site on the east side of County Road 3141. The project area is depicted on the USGS topographic map Poynor dated 1978 and revised 1984 (figures 2-3). The water line will be PVC pipe and will vary in size from 2 to 6 in diameter. The line will cross prime farmland, hydric soil, and potential wetlands. It will be installed in the highway ROW parallel to existing lines when possible to provide additional flow and pressure throughout the system. The ditches needed for the pipe will be 6 to 12 wide and will be a minimum of 30 deep. Anderson County is located in a part of Texas that contains numerous prehistoric and historic sites, many of which have been considered to possess significant research potential. This county is in the area once inhabited by the prehistoric Caddo Indians of Northeast Texas. Many of these sites contain burials and pottery vessels of exceptional quality. Vandalism of archaeological sites in this area is a serious problem, and the number of intact Caddoan sites is rapidly decreasing. The Texas Historical Society, Archeology Division, requested a cultural resources survey be performed by a professional archaeologist prior to installation of the water line. In order to comply with this request, the Poynor WSC retained BVRA of Bryan, Texas to conduct this investigation. The project number assigned by BVRA is 05-11. 1
Figure 1. General Location 2
Figure 2. Project Area (East Portion) 3
Figure 3. Project Area (West Portion) 4
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING The project area is located within the West Gulf Coastal Plain physiographic province as defined by Fenneman (1946) and the Austropriarian biotic province as defined by Blair (1950:98-100). The reader is referred to Volume I (Stratigraphy) of the Geology of Texas by Sellards et al. (1932) for a more in-depth discussion of the geology of this area. Data taken from the Texas Almanac for 1984-1985 (Kingston and Harris 1983) states that the county receives 40.51 inches of annual rainfall. When combined with a January minimum temperature of 37 degrees Fahrenheit and a July maximum temperature of 94 degrees Fahrenheit, a growing season of 264 days results. Fauna known to be present within the project area at various times of the year include fox and gray squirrel, armadillo, raccoon, opossum, cottontail rabbits, white-tailed deer, coyote, beaver, and feral hogs. Many birds utilize the site including dove, meadowlark, killdeers, various sparrows, great blue herons, bluebirds, mockingbirds, and cardinals. Much of the project area is in upland setting with elevations at or greater than 400 feet above mean sea level. A large portion of the project area was heavily wooded with mixed hardwoods and various kinds of under story vegetation present. Some areas were in pasture. No major creeks cross any of the roads within the project area. Only unnamed tributaries and the upper reaches of tributaries are present. The soils were observed to be sand over firm red clay. 5
ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND Anderson County is located in the Northeast Texas Archeological Study Region of the Eastern Planning Region as defined by the Department of Antiquities Protection in Archeology in the Eastern Planning Region, Texas: A Planning Document (Kenmotsu and Perttula 1993). According to the planning document, there were 121 sites recorded in the county as of 1991 (Kenmotsu and Perttula 1993:41). In the region, Anderson County was 16th in terms of numbers of sites recorded. Of the 121 recorded sites, 12 were considered not significant, 41 were of unknown significance, 46 were probably significant, and 22 were significant. Two sites (41AN19 and 41AN51) are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Site 41AN51, the Pace McDonald site, has been discussed in an unpublished manuscript by Thurmond (1978) on file at TARL. At the time of this survey there were approximately 160 recorded prehistoric and historic sites in the county. The Archeological Bibliography for the Northeastern Region of Texas (Martin 1990) cites 50 references for the county. Although many of these investigations have been small area surveys, often resulting in negative findings, several major reservoir projects have been conducted. These are the Blackburn Crossing Reservoir (Johnson 1958, 1961), Palestine Reservoir (Anderson et al. 1974), Tennessee Colony Lake (Richner 1977; Richner and Lee 1976, 1977), Trinity River Basin (Richner and Bagot 1978), and the Trinity River Multiple Use Project (Sorrow 1973). Overviews of the area include works by (Lynott and Richner 1977), Woodall (1972), and Story, et al. (1990). Prehistoric occupations in the region cover all time periods from Paleoindian through Historic Caddoan, circa 9500 B.C. - A.D. 1860 (Kenmotsu and Perttula 1993:44). The reader is referred to this comprehensive and well organized document for additional information regarding the archaeological background for Anderson County and vicinity. Numerous prehistoric sites have been recorded along Caddo Creek just to the north of the project area in Anderson and Henderson counties and along Caney Branch to the east in Anderson County. Several of these sites were investigated in the 1930s under the direction of A. M. Woolsey and A. T. Jackson of The University of Texas at Austin. Although collections were sometimes curated, site forms and formal reports may not exist. Most of these sites have been described as Caddoan, and some contain burials with grave goods. According to the few site forms that are present, the preferred location for sites appears to be terraces adjacent to streams. Archaic hunting sites were recorded during the Lake Palestine survey in 1960s and early 1970s (Anderson 1971). Sites found during this study were predominantly associated with streamside locations near relatively fertile soils (Anderson 1971:iii). 6
METHODS Pre-Field Tasks Prior to entering the field a records check for previously recorded sites in or near the project area was conducted by Jean Hughes at TARL. The Principal Investigator and Project Engineer drove the entire route of the proposed water line in an attempt to identify high probability areas for survey. All creek crossings were evaluated, and one historic cemetery and one modern cemetery were observed. Previously recorded site 41AN14 is depicted on the TARL maps as being within the project area. The field assessment identified this area as an unlikely setting for a prehistoric site based on an absence of a nearby water source. The Principal Investigator and Project Engineer visited the Anderson County Courthouse, Anderson County Tax Appraisal Office, and local abstract office to check land ownership in the project area against the landowners mentioned on the site map for 41AN14. It was learned that the site had been incorrectly plotted on the maps at TARL. Two important reports were reviewed during the planning stages of this project. These are a planning document by the Department of Antiquities Protection (Kenmotsu and Perttula 1993) and an archeological bibliography for the Northeastern Region of Texas (Martin 1990). The interested reader is referred to these sources for additional information regarding the prehistory of this area. Field Tasks The field investigation was conducted on August 2, 2005. Five areas selected for survey were investigated. Two creek crossings (Area 2 and Area 3) were investigated through a 100% Pedestrian Survey and shovel probing. Shovel testing was performed in Area 2. Exposed cut banks along the entire length of each of these areas were examined. All dirt excavated by shovel testing was screened using ¼ inch hardware cloth. A shovel test log was maintained (Appendix I), and the approximate location of each test was plotted on the field map. The two cemeteries were visited and photographed. The area where site 41AN14 is plotted on the TARL maps was evaluated. This area was walked, and a careful inspection of the disturbed surface was examined for cultural materials. Two shovel tests were excavated, one on each side of the road. All five areas investigated were documented with a hand-held GPS and photographed with a digital camera. 7
AREAS SURVEYED Area 1 This is the area where site 41AN14 is plotted on the maps at TARL (Appendix II) as being on both sides of County Road 3141 (Figure 4). A GPS position was established from the topographic quadrangle plotting, and this area was visited and examined. At the time of this survey, the road was deeply entrenched (2-3 feet) into the sandy soil and had a ditch and sloped bank on each side. A 100% Pedestrian Survey was conducted on both sides of the road the entire length of the plotted site area. Surface visibility was estimated at 60% to 70%. The proposed water line will be placed in the county road ROW. Two shovel tests were excavated, one on each side of the road. Figure 4. Area 1 8
Area 2 This area is a creek crossing on the north side of County Road 312 and both banks of an unnamed tributary of Caddo Creek from the western upland margin to the eastern upland margin (Figure 5). In this location the water line will not parallel existing line. New line will be installed. At the time of this survey, the road was deeply cut into the slopes and upland portions of the project area exposing a vertical cut bank profile. A mantle of sand 30 cm to 40 cm thick was present over the underlying red clay (Figure 6). The entire length of this profile along Area 2 was visually examined. The proposed water line will have to be placed in the ditch since the top of the bank was the edge of the ROW and the ditch consists of very hard red clay. Sand deposits were observed east of the creek on a flat terrace on which three houses had been built. Four shovel tests were excavated in this sandy area. Figure 5. Area 2 9
Figure 6. Proposed Waterline Route (Area 2) 10
Area 3 This area is a creek crossing on the north side of County Road 312 and both banks of an unnamed tributary of Caddo Creek from the western upland margin to the eastern upland margin (Figure 7). In this location the water line will not parallel existing line. New line will be installed. At the time of this survey, the road was deeply cut into the slopes and upland portions of the project area exposing a vertical cut bank profile. A mantle of sand 30 cm to 40 cm thick was present over the underlying red clay (Figure 7). The entire length of this profile along Area 3 was visually examined, and tested with shovel probes. The proposed water line will have to be placed in the ditch since the top of the bank was the edge of the ROW and the ditch was in hard red clay on the slopes and upland areas. Near the creek, shallow over bank deposit sand was present in the ROW, but recent bulldozer work had disturbed the project area allowing for 100% visibility. Figure 7. Area 3 11
Figure 8. Bank Profile (Area 3) Area 4 The Foster Cemetery is on the north side of County Road 478 (Figure 9). At the time of this survey, part of the cemetery had been mowed and fenced and was generally well maintained. The entrance to the mowed part of the cemetery is 250 feet from the road along a cleared area (Figure 10). A dense woods lies between the fenced cemetery and the road. Graves were observed in these woods within 10 meters of the road. The ROW and the graves in the woods are only separated by a few strands of barbed wire. In the fenced area, graves dating to the 1800s and early 1900s were observed. A State of Texas Historical Marker depicts the original gravesite of Cynthia Ann Parker. Ms. Parker was the mother of Quanah Parker, war chief of the Comanche. According to Margaret Schmidt Hacker (Handbook of Texas Online), Ms. Parker died near the Anderson and Henderson county line and was buried in Fosterville Cemetery, and there are several references to Fosterville Cemetery on early maps. In 1910, her son Quanah moved her body to the Post Oak Cemetery near Cache, Oklahoma. Her body, as well as that of her son Quanah, were later moved to Fort Sill, Oklahoma in 1957. According to C. C. (Kip) Camp of the Anderson County Historical Commission, the fenced cemetery contains the remains of Anglos and Negroes. This investigation was not able to determine if the graves in the woods are part of the fenced cemetery or if these are two different resting places. 12
Figure 9. Area 4 13
Figure 10. Foster Cemetery 14
Area 5 The Pleasant Hill Cemetery is located on the east side of County Road 3141 (Figure 11). The road curves at the southwest corner of the cemetery and comes within four feet of the fence. Currently, only the western one-quarter of the cemetery has graves, and these are separated into a north section and a south section. There are graves at the southwest corner by the road. At the time of this survey, the cemetery was fenced and had been mowed (Figure 12). The earliest grave observed was dated 1964. This investigation was unable to determine the ethnicity of this cemetery. Figure 11. Area 5 15
Figure 12. Pleasant Hill Cemetery 16
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Literature Review The records check at TARL revealed that no professional investigations have been conducted in the project area. Most of the sites recorded in Anderson County were probably located during the Lake Palestine survey (Anderson 1971) and a survey of the Trinity River basin (Richner and Bagot 1978). Both endeavors were conducted by Southern Methodist University. According to Carolyn Spock (personal communication, June 10, 1994), there was a surge of site recording for the county during 1979 (62 sites), 1980 (62 sites), and 1981 (79 sites). Most of these are believed to represent TARL numbers being assigned to previously recorded sites by Southern Methodist University from the Lake Palestine and Trinity River Basin projects. According to the site records at TARL, one prehistoric site (41AN14) lies within the path of the water line as currently proposed. The topographic maps also depict the presence of two cemeteries (Foster and Pleasant Hill) near the path of the water line. Field Survey No previously unrecorded archaeological sites were found as a result of this survey. Previously recorded site 41AN14 was found to be incorrectly plotted on the topographic maps on file at TARL. A site map on file at TARL lists this site as been located on the Gene and Isabel Donnell place. The area where the site is plotted is located in the Robert Myers abstract (A-571, Block Number 705). The records search revealed that no persons named Donnell owned property in this block in the 1930s when the site was investigated by archaeologists from The University of Texas at Austin. Property owned by Frank Donnell during the time this site was investigated was found to be to the north in the Alfred Benge abstract (A-106, Block 707). According to the site records at TARL, 41AN14 is one of a group of sites in Anderson County that were plotted on the topographic maps using only sketchy records. The field survey confirmed the location of the two cemeteries depicted on the topographic map, Foster and Pleasant Hill. In the area of the Foster Cemetery, two separate areas containing graves were identified. One is a fenced and mowed area approximately 250 feet from the county road. This area is identified by a sign at the entrance as the Foster Cemetery. There are additional graves in the woods (not fenced) adjacent to the county road with the nearest grave approximately 10 meters from the road. Mr. Camp of the Anderson County Historical Commission was not aware of this cemetery, and he does not know if it represents a separate resting place or is part of the fenced portion of Foster Cemetery to the north. The fenced cemetery contains the graves of Negroes and Anglo-Americans and dates from the 1800s through early 1900s. 17
As discussed above, the site of the former grave of Cynthia Ann Parker is identified by a State of Texas marker. Ms. Parker was the mother of Quanah Parker, famous Comanche war chief. The cemetery in the woods contains graves dating to the 20 th Century, but no attempt was made to record the dates of every grave. Foster Cemetery may be eligible for nomination as a Texas Historic Cemetery. Pleasant Hill is a fenced and mowed cemetery near the community of Pleasant Hill and is adjacent to County Road 3141. It contains graves dating to the 20 th Century with the oldest dated at 1964. It does not meet the age requirement for nomination as a Texas Historic Cemetery. 18
RECOMMENDATIONS Previously recorded site 41AN14 was found to be incorrectly plotted. Therefore, construction of the water line in this area should be allowed to proceed as planned. Two areas containing graves were identified in the area of the Foster Cemetery. Since the area near the road is not fenced, it is recommended that the water line be placed across the road. If the water line is placed on the same side of the road as the cemetery, scraping under the supervision of a professional archaeologist is recommended. The Pleasant Hill Cemetery was found to be fenced and modern in age (1960s and later). Since the water line will be placed across the road from this cemetery, no scraping or monitoring is necessary. It is recommended that no restrictions be placed on the installation of the water line in the remainder of the project area. 19
REFERENCES CITED Anderson, Keith M. 1971 Archaeological Resources of Lake Palestine, Texas. Report submitted by Southern Methodist University to the National Park Service Anderson, Keith M., Kathleen Gilmore, Olin F. McCormick, III, and E. Pierre Morenon 1974 Archaeological Investigations at Lake Palestine Texas. Southern Methodist University, Institute for the Study of Earth and Man, Department of Anthropology, Contributions in Anthropology Number 11. Blair, W. Frank 1950 The Biotic Provinces of Texas. The Texas Journal of Science 2(1):93-117. Fenneman, Nevin M. 1946 Physical Divisions of the United States Map. United States Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. Johnson, LeRoy, Jr. 1958 Appraisal of the Archeological Resources of Blackburn Crossing Reservoir, Anderson, Cherokee, Henderson, and Smith Counties, Texas. Archeological Salvage Program, National Park Service, Austin Office. 1961 An Archeological Survey of Blackburn Crossing Reservoir on the Upper Neches River. Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society 31:213-238. Kentmotsu, Nancy Adele, and Timothy K. Perttula 1993 Archeology in the Eastern Planning Region, Texas: A Planning Document. Department of Antiquities Protection, Cultural Resources Management Report 3. Texas Historical Commission. Kingston, Michael T., and Ruth Harris (Editors) 1983 1984-1985 Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide. Dallas Morning News. Lynott, Mark J., and Jeffrey J. Richner 1977 An Archaeological Overview of East-Central Texas. Manuscript prepared by Methodist University on file at the Texas Historical Commission in Austin, Texas. Martin, William A. 1990 Archeological Bibliography for the Northeastern Region of Texas. Department of Planning and Review, Cultural Resource Management Report 1 and Office of the State Archeologist Special Report 32. 20
Richner, Jeffrey J. 1977 Archeological and Ethnohistorical Survey at Tennessee Colony Lake. Archaeology Research Program, Southern Methodist University. Dallas. Richner, Jeffrey J., and Joe T. Bagot (Assemblers) 1978 A Reconnaissance Survey of the Trinity River Basin, 1976-1977. Archaeology Research Program, Southern Methodist University, Research Report 113. Richner, Jeffrey J., and Reed Lee 1976 Cultural Resources at Tennessee Colony Lake. Archaeology Research Southern Methodist University. 1977 Archaeological and Ethnohistorical Survey at Tennessee Colony Lake, 1975. Archaeology Research Program, Southern Methodist University. Sellards, E. H., W. S. Adkins, and F. B. Plummer 1932 The Geology of Texas, Volume I, Stratigraphy. The University of Texas, Bureau of Economic Geology, Bulletin 3232. Sorrow, William M. 1973 Preliminary Archeological Reconnaissance of the Selected Area to be Affected by the Trinity River Multiple Purpose Project, Texas. Texas Archeological Salvage Project, Research Report 17. The University of Texas at Austin. Story, Dee Ann, Janice A. Guy, Barbara A. Burnett, Marthy Doty Freeman, Jerome C. Rose, D. Gentry Steele, Ben W. Olive, and Karl G. Reinhard 1990 the Archeology and Bioarcheology of the Gulf Coastal Plain. Arkansas S Survey, Research Series Number 38. Fayetteville. Thurmond, J. Peter 1978 The Pace McDonald Site: A Caddoan Mound Center in Anderson County, Texas. Unpublished manuscript on file at the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory in Austin, Texas. Woodall, J. Ned 1972 Prehistoric Social Boundaries: An Archeological Model and Test. Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society 43:101-120. 21
APPENDIX I: SHOVEL TEST LOG Test Depth Soils Comments Area 1 1 50 cm sand over clay Dug in right-of-way and ditch 2 50 cm sand over clay Dug in right-of-way and ditch Area 2 1 50 cm sand over clay Dug in right-of-way and ditch 2 50 cm sand over clay Dug in right-of-way and ditch 3 40 cm sand over clay Dug in right-of-way and ditch 4 30 cm sand over clay Dug in right-of-way and ditch
APPENDIX II: LOCATION OF SITE 41AN14